Saudi employers answer to the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development for contracts,
permits, and localization, to GOSI for social insurance, and to the Wage Protection System for
payment monitoring. These are the areas that matter most, and how Komp covers them.
Employment contracts and Qiwa documentation
Contracts must be written in Arabic and documented electronically on the Qiwa platform.
Since April 2026, a Saudi employee only counts toward localization percentages where the
contract is documented on Qiwa, and GOSI registration alone is no longer sufficient.
Work permits and iqama sponsorship
Employment is inseparable from immigration. A work permit and iqama can only be sponsored
by an entity holding a commercial registration, and the process includes visa approval,
entry, medical testing, biometrics, and iqama issuance. Each element expires on its own
cycle and must be renewed before lapse.
Saudization and the Nitaqat framework
A new three-year Nitaqat cycle began in April 2026, and the middle compliance band was
removed, so establishments that previously sat in it are now treated as non-compliant.
Quotas apply at profession level across hundreds of roles, not only establishment-wide,
with sector requirements that are highest in healthcare, accounting, procurement, sales,
and marketing.
Saudization salary thresholds
A Saudi employee must be paid above a minimum monthly salary to count toward localization,
and that threshold was raised in the 2026 cycle. Certain professions carry higher
thresholds again, so a Saudi hire below the relevant figure delivers no localization
benefit despite the cost.
Consequences of non-compliance
An employer in the lowest band faces blocked visa issuance, suspended permit renewals,
restrictions on government contract bidding, and loss of control over sponsorship
transfers, meaning expatriate staff may move to another employer without consent.
GOSI social insurance
Saudi nationals registered before July 2024 remain on the earlier contribution schedule.
Those registered afterward sit on a rising schedule that increased again partway through
2026, so payroll must segregate employees by registration system. Non-Saudi employees
attract an employer-only occupational hazards contribution. Contributions are capped at
a statutory monthly earnings ceiling.
Wage Protection System
Wages must be paid through the Wage Protection System via approved channels and reported
on the statutory cycle. Non-compliance restricts permit processing rather than simply
attracting a penalty, which means it can stop hiring altogether.
No income tax
Saudi Arabia levies no personal income tax on salaries, so employees receive their full
gross pay. This is a significant part of the Kingdom’s appeal when recruiting
internationally, particularly for senior roles.
Leave, working time, and insurance
Employees receive 21 days of annual leave, rising to 30 days after five years of service,
alongside public holidays. Maternity leave is provided under the Labor Law, the working
week is 48 hours and is reduced during Ramadan for Muslim employees, and health insurance
cover is mandatory.
Probation, notice, and end of service
Probation may run to 90 days and can be extended to a maximum of 180 days with the
employee’s written agreement. Notice is generally 60 days for monthly-paid employees and
30 days for others. The end of service award is half a month’s wage for each of the first
five years and a full month for each year thereafter, subject to the grounds for
termination.